We reach the end of an extraordinary term.  Thank you for your support during these difficult times – together we have kept the children and staff safe and I have been greatly humbled by the trust in the school you have shown.  We do not yet know what the new year will bring, but I am sure we will manage together.

It appears that the e-mail about last week’s newsletter did not reach many of you – apologies for that.  If you do realise that you have not received a newsletter, it is always worth looking on the school website as we aim to post it there before leaving on a Friday.  We have repeated some of the content here.

Nativities

These have been loaded on the school website; the password will be sent separately.

https://dr-souths.co.uk/christmas-2020/

Staffing

We offer many congratulations to Mrs Cornish on her pregnancy.  She is expecting to take maternity leave around Easter time, so in January we will begin the process of recruiting cover for Oak Class.  The restrictions around COVID-19 mean that they may be some alterations we need to make to ensure Mrs Cornish can teach safely, and we will communicate these in the new year.

The shared headship with Bletchingdon School has now reached its end, so I will be based much more at Dr South’s.  Many thanks to all the staff here who have risen so admirably to the challenges it has brought.  It will be good to see more of the children and staff.

Construction Club

If you are having a clear out over Christmas and have any Lego or other equipment you want to pass to a good home, do bring it to school so the children at Construction Club can enjoy it.

Forest School

This will begin the week beginning 11^th January.  It will be Year 6 plus Oak Class Group A.

PE Lessons

These will begin on the first day back with Ash and Oak Classes – please send your child in PE kit.

Clubs

These start the week beginning 11^th January, although care is available from the start of term.  Jack will be running KS2 sport on Tuesday 5^th; please e-mail the office if you wish your child to join this.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing

The Department for Education has informed schools they need to assist with contact tracing during the holidays, and has asked us to alert parents to the following:

• Where a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, the school should not be contacted. Parents and carers should follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace.
• For the first 6 days after teaching ends, if a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school, the school is asked to assist in identifying close contacts and advising self-isolation, as the individual may have been infectious whilst in school.

This means it is possible that you will receive an e-mail from school, acting on behalf of Test and Trace, up until Christmas Eve advising you to self-isolate.  We will try not to bother you after this date!

 

Our Christian Value this term has been Thankfulness.  We have learned about how thankfulness can be expressed, we have heard stories from different cultures and religions which express the value, and we have thought about who we should be thanking at the end of this remarkable year.

 

Future events (w/b 4^th January)

Monday 4^th                  INSET Day – school closed

Tuesday 5^th                 No Forest School

 

Dates for the year

04/01/2021                  INSET Day – school closed

05/01/2021                  Start of term

12/02/2021                  Soup Lunch and Talent Show – provisional

15/02/2021                  Half term week

10/03/2021                  Reception and Year 6 Heights and Weights measurement

31/03/2021                  Stations of the Cross service – provisional

End of term

 

19/04/2021                  Start of term

03/05/2021                  Bank Holiday – school closed

10/05/2021                  Year 6 SATS

28/05/2021                  May Day – provisional

31/05/2021                  Half term week

 

07/06/2021                  Beech Class residential – provisional

01/07/2021                  Sports Day – provisional

07/07/2021                  Ash/Willow production (afternoon) – provisional

15/07/2021                  Oak/Beech production (evening) – provisional

21/07/2021                  Leavers’ Service

End of term

22/07/2021                  INSET Day – school closed

 

01/09/2021                  INSET Day – school closed

02/09/2021                  Start of term